Best method to transport a bike?

[FoundPeace]

I'm just starting to bike, but I need to be able to transport my bike with my car. My current solution is to take off the wheels and haul it in the trunk. This is very tricky in my Toyota Yaris sedan and it would be nice to be able to haul multiple bikes. What should I get?

A rack for my roof and the attachment for the bike? How much does quality matter, would this be ok?:http://www.carid.com/2008-toyota-yaris-roof-racks/sportrack-frontier-roof-rack-44006118.html -- I'm thinking I would get the bike rack portion off of this website or craigslist (if I can find the right one...)

Or a trunk mounted rack for $50-$100 on craigslist.

The roof rack would be more expensive, but I could potentially haul things with it. The trunk rack would only have 1 purpose and might damage my car...


What do you use? Is there something I'm not thinking about?

[alsoknownasDean]

Have you got a tow bar? Plenty of bike racks that attach to the tow bar on a car.

[El Marinero]

Have you got a tow bar?

The hitch-mounted bike rack is my preferred approach, especially after using roof and trunk racks.

Adding a trailer hitch yourself  isn't hard  -  and it allows for a mustachian feeling of badassity.

[kendallf]

+1 for a hitch rack.  They are much faster to use, not only putting the bike on but attaching the rack itself -- mine has one bolt and it's on and off in less than a minute.  Bike takes about 30 seconds to put on the rack.  No worries about driving under stuff and scraping the bike off the roof (I would do it, too).

Several bonuses: less effect on gas mileage, racks with a tray for the wheels and a retainer are more secure than hanging racks and don't require wheel removal like most roof racks, and you can use the hitch for a variety of other things if you like, from small trailers to cargo racks.

[pdxvandal]

I already had a roof rack on the car I bought last year. I recently put a Yakima bike rack add-on that cost $60 brand new/installed. It takes me about 20 seconds to take off the wheel and secure the bike on top of the car.

[Retire-Canada]

+1 on hitch rack. I've used all the bike rack options and liked this one the best.

-- Vik

[FarmerPete]

I got a hitch mounted rack.  Works great.  It was a bit more expensive ($200) when I bought it new last summer.  Only downside is that it doesn't fold up.  Not a big deal.  I wanted one that would work for girls bikes without an adapter, and I feel the platform is a lot more secure.  I also bought a locking hitch pin and a locking cable from Saris.  Think those were a combined $50. 

http://www.amazon.com/Saris-Freedom-Bike-Tray-Hitch/dp/B00DMMCIMQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1425059021&sr=1-4&keywords=saris+bike+rack

A bit more expensive now.  Mine was from a third party Amazon seller (bike shop in NY I think).  I guess I just have nightmares of those $60 bike racks falling off and having my bikes go plummeting down the highway.  I couldn't find anything on craigslist in the area.

[PEIslander]

I think this expensive but otherwise super practical system is very interesting: SeaSucker Suction-Cup Bike Rack

Here's some pics: http://www.gizmag.com/seasucker-racks-rubber-cups/16902/
And here's the product for sale: https://www.seasucker.com/product-category/bike-racks/

[spokey doke]

I prefer hitch mount racks too but they drive up the cost...although with a car as small as a Yaris, the roof is not a bad option (if you can avoid driving into low clearance spaces that crush your bike and f-up your roof). 

I don't like the trunk mount racks, and I think they are best if you only need to use one on rare occasions.  They work, but you have to be careful to set them up properly each time, make it difficult if not impossible to use your trunk, and then have to be taken down and setup on a regular basis.